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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 21, 2017

Novak Djokovic

Monte Carlo, Monaco

D. GOFFIN/N. Djokovic

6-2, 3-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I know it's the same for both players, but how much of a factor is the light at that end in the match? And how is your elbow?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, elbow is fine.

It's just unfortunate I missed my chances in the beginning of the third set to go a double break up. Yeah, in the end, that side, yeah, it was terrible. It was almost unplayable. Unfortunately, yeah, I mean, it resulted that way.

Q. Obviously the other two matches you were pushed to more than two and a half hours in those. Was it a bit too much for you physically today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, you know, I started slowly probably because I played two long matches. But I thought as the match progressed I was feeling okay. You know, I was physically fine. We had a lot of exchanges, a lot of rallies. David is playing very quick. You know, he's a fast player.

I thought I played very, very well for, you know, a set and a half, from the start of the second set.

Then, you know, that unfortunate game when I dropped my serve, the match turned around. I had my chances, I definitely did. I just didn't use them.

Q. In all the matches you played, you said you played well in the beginning, then maybe it went a little bit downhill. How do you explain this lack of consistency?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Nothing to explain. It's just to work on.

Q. Do you need more matches now, more practice, more wins? What is it you need?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I'm doing everything that I can to play well. I think I'm playing better than I have in first couple months of the year. So that's a positive.

But clay is very particular surface that requires, of course, a lot of practice, a lot of movement. Hopefully I'll get those in the weeks to come.

Q. You got a time violation towards the end of the match. Can I ask you how frustrating that is, how big an issue it's becoming in the game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it's not the first time. At least I got the pre-warning, telling me that I'm taking too much time.

I understand. I mean, that's fair from the chair umpire to tell me, you know, that I'm taking a little bit too much time. It was just in very awkward moment to give me warning.

It is what it is.

Q. It was after 27 strokes, so maybe that was a reason.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, you know, I don't want to judge. Everybody has their perspective of seeing things. Obviously he has to do his job. I respect that.

It's just that sometimes, you know, there should be maybe a little bit more tolerance and understanding for certain situations like that one, where it was very long point, 6-5 in the third.

But, you know, I guess I can't say too much about it.

Q. You saved four match points. Some were more difficult than the last one. Does that make it more frustrating?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, last one hit the line. I couldn't do too much with the backhand, so...

Yeah, I mean, I got lucky in the maybe first two matches. Now I haven't. That's sport. Have to accept it.

Q. Do you think before Madrid you would rather practice or maybe play a tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I wasn't planning to play a tournament. I think it's going to stay that way. But we'll see.

Q. My impression at the end was he was dictating a little bit more the game than you. Was it because you were tired or because you couldn't find the energy?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I just got disturbed by that light. On 4-3 I lost that serve. On that side, it's kind of hard to find timing when somebody's kind of putting directly flashlight in your eyes. You can't find the timing very much.

Both of us struggled on that side. He managed to hold serve on 5-All from that side, which was a great effort from him. But I couldn't.

That's all.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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